The aim of this study was to evaluate the compressive resistance under oblique loads of abutments with two different diameters and transmucosal heights used for cement-retained implant-supported prostheses in Morse-taper implants. Forty Morse-taper implants were divided into four groups with different abutment sizes for cement-retained prostheses in order to perform the compressive test. The groups were divided by abutment diameter and transmucosal height as follows: Group 1: 4.5 x 2.5 mm; Group 2: 4.5 x 3.5 mm; Group 3: 3.3 x 2.5 mm; and Group 4: 3.3 x 3.5 mm. An oblique compressive loading test was performed on each sample located in a platform at 30° using a universal testing machine with a load cell of 1,000 kgf and 0.5 mm/min speed until achieving the deformation of abutment's neck. The compressive resistance and its mechanical behavior were recorded for each group and the data were analyzed using ANOVA, the Shapiro-Wilk and Scheffé tests. In addition, the detailed damage of all samples was recorded with a conventional camera linked to the endoscopic equipment. Significant differences were observed among the groups, except between Groups 2 and 3 (p>0.005). All the abutments showed permanent deformations in the upper region and at the transmucosal portion, but the threads of the screws were intact. Fractures were only identified in Groups 3 and 4. Stronger mechanical behavior and compressive resistance was observed in the abutments with 4.5 mm diameter and 2.5 mm transmucosal height.

The purpose of this study is to assess the use of grade V titanium mini transitional implants (MTIs) immediately loaded by a temporary overdenture. For this, a histomorphometric analysis of the bone area fraction occupancy (BAFO) was performed by backscattered scanning electron microscopy (BS-SEM). Four female patients were submitted to surgery in which two MTIs were installed and immediately loaded with a temporary acrylic prosthesis. During the same surgery, two regular diameter implants were placed inside the bone and maintained without mechanical load. After 8 months, the MTIs were extracted using a trephine and processed for ultrastructural bone analysis by BS-SEM, and the regular-diameter implants were loaded with an overdenture device. A total of 243 BAFOs of MTIs were analyzed, of which 94 were mainly filled with cortical bone, while 149 were mainly filled with trabecular bone. Bone tissue analysis considering the total BAFOs with calcified tissues showed 72.13% lamellar bone, 26.04% woven bone, and 1.82% chondroid bone without significant differences between the samples. This study revealed that grade V titanium used in immediately loaded MTI was successfully osseointegrated by a mature and vascularized bone tissue as assessed from the BAFO.

The aim of this report was to endoscopically evaluate bone quality in vivo in the immediate installation of temporary small-diameter implants, and again after 6 months of function, through an attachments system for overdenture, in the atrophic mandible of a patient. We also histologically evaluated bone-implant interaction in these temporary small-diameter implants, once the success of the osseointegration of the submerged implants was guaranteed. A patient received a total of 6 implants in the atrophic mandible, two of which were immediately loaded with a provisional prosthesis, and four were left to heal in a submerged way. Further, an immersion endoscopic evaluation was performed during bone drilling, and this showed a compact bone structure with limited vascularization and predominantly cortical structure.This immediate loading protocol involving an overdenture retained by two small-diameter implants of 2.9 mm in the atrophic mandible proved to be successful after 6 months of loading. Clinical and histologic osseointegration was consistently achieved for both of the retrieved immediately loaded implants. This modality allows the patient to be restored with a stable, functional, and aesthetic prosthesis during the osseointegration period of submerged implants and soft-tissue healing, before the removal of the provisional implants. The histological evaluation of bone-implant contact found that the space between the implant threads closer to the surface was filled with woven bone and lamellar bone, but the tissue in contact with the cervical portion of the implants was compatible with cortical bone organization. Also, the newly formed bone has a regular cell distribution and characteristics of advanced maturation after 6 months of function in the atrophic mandible. Anchored overdentures in 2 to 4 small-diameter implants (2.9 mm) for edentulous patients with severe atrophy of the mandible with cortical bone would be a minimally invasive alternative.